The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, met today with representatives of the City of Tempe, Arizona (US), who are staying in the country on the occasion of the First Balkan Sister City Conference, held June 5 - 7 in Skopje.

President Ivanov and Tempe City officials welcomed the overall cooperation between the City of Skopje and the City of Tempe, ever since the twinning in 1971 until today, something that President Ivanov, seen from today's aspect, assessed as visionary.

"Tempe's vision very naturally upgraded the centuries-old tradition of openness that characterizes Skopje and Macedonia. It has resulted in numerous projects and exchanges but, more importantly, many friendships on both sides of the Atlantic. It is a safe bet in the friendly and partnership relations between the Republic of Macedonia and the United States. I believe that in the coming decades, this partnership will only be deepened and expanded with new contents," President Ivanov said.

City of Tempe, Arizona, is Skopje's sister city since July 1971, being the first US city twinning with a Eastern Europe city. President Ivanov visited Tempe in April 2013.